The invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for grading or sorting solid objects and more particularly to systems for mixing batches of graded objects to form selected mixtures of objects of various grades.
Graders are used to sort solid objects into different sizes, or grades. Solid objects that are graded include food products, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, shellfish, portions of meat, poultry, and fish, and non-food products, such as ball bearings, castings, and aggregates. Graders are typically operated with the products in each grade permanently separated by grade for subsequent handling. In some instances, however, it is necessary to combine grades or even different products into specific mixes of products. For example, customers for chicken wings may require a mixture of 60% drummettes and 40% flats of certain grades. But forming and maintaining these specific mixtures is labor-intensive.
Thus, there is a need for efficiently forming specified mixtures of graded product.